Like the air horn idea
Had a yellow lab, two years ago at night at the cabin while we were out letting him take care of business, he hunkered down and gave out one of those primal gutteral growls - made the hair stand up on my neck. That was the summer the five bears were around and before we knew they were around.
He was the opposite of a real lab. Didn't like water and started growling at the neighbors - acted more like he was a german shepard guard dog.
Had to have the vet find him a home way out in the country.
Have a beagle now, better for the son and she has that beagle bark/baying sound
Will add the air horn to the bear spray arsenal.
But still liking the S&W 500
